So Not Feeling the Aster
by songdreamer2016
Summary: As Robin and the Team battle Klarion the Witch-boy, they get sucked into one of his interdimensional portals - and wake up to familiar faces. However, everything isn't as it seems... Slightly AU; can connect to Season 2 of YJ (not necessarily).
1. Chapter 1 - Red Portals and Kitties

Mindlink  
_Italics_ = Robin  
_**Italics/Bold**_ = Aqualad  
_Italics/Underline_ = Miss Martian  
Underline = Superboy  
**Underline/Bold** = Kid Flash  
**Bold** = Artemis

_"Italics/quotes"_ = Comm-link

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Chapter 1 - Red Portals and Kitties

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**KORD INDUSTRIES, STAR CITY  
May 23, 23:03 PM, EDT**

Robin was _so_ not feeling the aster.

The day had started out fairly normal - they had been assigned a covert mission by Batman; there had been an electrical impulse or the other in Star City that needed investigation. A crisis of some sort had occupied the attention of the League, making the Team the only choice. They had all gotten onto the bioship and headed to Star City, with KF and Artemis squabbling over something (as usual); the rest of the team had ignored them, and Kaldur had been discussing tactics with Superboy while Robin hacked into security footage from around the area. After arriving M'gann had linked everyone telepathically, setting up the mindlink before they all split up to their respective positions. Everything had gone off without a hitch - Robin had just started to relax, thinking it was one of _those_ missions, when all he- whoops, sorry, Alfred - er, _chaos_ broke loose. Literally. There was a burst of red light, and Klarion the Witch-boy was there, cackling madly and stroking Teekl, his (completely abnormal) cat.

Yeah. Definitely a disaster. Heavy on the _dis_.

"Look, Teekl!" Said the Lord of Chaos in his whiny voice. "It's the Justice brats!"

**Ugh.** Said Artemis over the mindlink. **Who let him in?**

_**This was not part of the mission,**_ Aqualad said. _**Robin, contact Batman and inform him of the... complication.**_

_Way ahead of you, Aqualad._ Replied Robin, fingers flying furiously over his holographic keyboard as he sent Batman the message.

_**Everyone else, get to your positions. Keep your eyes on Klarion.**_

_I copy._

**Got it!**

Roger that.

**Sure thing.**

With that the team split, spreading out into a circle around the cackling Witch-boy, getting into their fighting stances. Artemis cocked an arrow on her bow and Aqualad readied his water bearers as Kid Flash pulled his goggles over his eyes. The teens eyed the Lord of Chaos warily, keeping him in their line of sight.

Klarion sniggered again, saying, "Ooh! Little kiddies think they can catch us, Teekl!"

_Done!_ Said Robin, arming himself with birdarangs as he flipped into place beside Aqualad. _Batman contacted and reply received. The League's on its way - he says to keep Pointy-ears busy._

With a growl Superboy tensed, and launched himself at Klarion. We don't need their help!

_**Superboy, don't - ! **_Aqualad's warning came too late, and he watched as the Kryptonian swung his fist at the entity, snarling as Klarion floated himself out of the way.

"Missed me!" cackled Klarion. "You've got to do better than _that_!" He sniggered loudly, rubbing the head of his cat.

Teekl meowed, and the Lord of Chaos sighed noisily, looking down at his familiar. "Is it time already? Oh well, Teekl," he said. "Let's get this over with, shall we?" With that he raised his hand, shooting out crackling beams of familiar red energy.

_**Get down!**_ grunted Aqualad, rolling onto his side as he dodged a blast thrown his way. The energy crashed into the spot he had been in seconds ago, sending up a shower of debris.

_This isn't doing any good,_ said Robin. _We need a plan of attack to keep him busy!_ The Boy Wonder pulled out his staff, twirling it in his hands. _Ideas, anyone?_

**Er... Distract him?** said Kid Flash as he sped around to avoid another shot of red energy.

Artemis groaned, notching arrows and firing them at Klarion in quick succession. **No duh, Baywatch!**

The Atlantean sighed slightly, getting back up and whirling his water bearers into a defensive position. _**Kid Flash. Artemis. Please, focus.**_

**Right. Sorry.**

**Loud and clear. **With that snarky comment Artemis ducked into a roll, cursing quietly as an energy beam singed the end of her ponytail. **Well?**

_**Commence Maneuver 9. Stand ready!**_

Miss Martian flew over in camouflage mode, concentrating on separating Klarion from his cat. She gave a frustrated sigh. _It's no use! He's got a barrier around him that interferes with my telepathy._

Plan B, then! Said Superboy as he picked up a boulder to hurl at the Witch-boy. Artemis and Robin positioned themselves on the opposite side, aiming arrows and birdarangs. Barely bothered, Klarion waved a hand, raising up a shield to misdirect the projectiles. "_Bor_-ing." A flick of his wrist spun balls of chaos at them, crackling glaringly.

Flipping backwards to avoid getting hit, Robin pressed his fingers to his comm. "Anytime now, B!"

"_We're on our way. Keep at him."_

With an exasperated sigh Robin somersaulted over another beam, ducking down behind a rock. _It's gonna take them awhile. Miss M, any success?_

_Just distract him for a bit longer; that'll break his concentration._

**Anything for you, Green Cheeks.** Kid Flash replied cheekily. He began running around Klarion, creating a funnel of air that lifted him up several feet in the air.

The witch-boy summoned a swirling platform and righted himself, saying mockingly, "Is that the best you can do?" Teekl purred in agreement, rubbing his face against Klarion's shirt. Stroking his familiar's head with one hand, Klarion raised the other, twisting it in the air. A familiar red entryway shimmered open, reflecting eerie light like a pond.

It slowly grew in size, and was soon larger than the bioship. The portal hovered in front of Klarion, occasionally emitting malevolent red sparks.

Klarion sniggered, sweeping his hand until the portal was directly over the team. "So long, brats!"

"That can't be good," gulped KF out loud. **Comments, Rob?**

Robin grimaced, looking up from his wrist computer and shaking his head. _Definitely bad. Readings say it's another one of his portals, but other than that, nothing._

_**Understood. Team, do not make any contact with the portal if possible.**_

"Didn't have to tell me, " growled Superboy as he backed away from under the portal. He was suddenly stopped with a jerk, and turned to face a dome-shaped barrier above and around him. The confinement stretched over Superboy, containing him and the rest of the team members within its curved walls.

It won't give! grunted Superboy, slamming his shoulder into the wall, with no avail. He kept beating at the barrier, roaring his frustration. We're trapped! Above the team, the portal began to descend, slowly drawing closer.

_Not good!_ Robin yelled. He reached up to his comm, continuously throwing birdarang after birdarang at the force field. "B, Klarion's trapped us in a force field, and there's a wormhole over our heads that's coming closer by the minute!"

"_Hold on," _replied the Bat. Robin could hear the slight strain in his mentor's voice that betrayed the man's worry. "_ETA fifteen minutes."_

"Not gonna be fast enough!" said Robin, throwing another birdarang. "We've got ten minutes, tops."

He heard his mentor growl, then snap at someone next to him. "_Where's Superman?"_ Robin heard over the comm. "_Get me Flash, stat!"_

Chuckling in spite of the situation, Robin turned to their team. _They're getting here as fast as they can, but they're sending Flash ahead._

_**That is good news. While we wait -**_

_Wait a sec. _Interrupted Robin as his comm beeped. "Yeah, Batman?"

"_Flash has been... delayed. He won't make it in time. Get out of there, _now_!"_

_Oh, crap._

_**Robin?**_

**Dude, what'd Batman say?**

"10-4." Robin replied. "And Batman..." he paused, then took a deep breath. "See you at Mount Justice."

There was silence for several seconds before Batman spoke. "_I will."_ It was a silent agreement between mentor and protege, an unspoken promise to come back.

Dropping his hand from his comm, the Boy Wonder turned to the rest of his teammates. _Bad news!_ he relayed. _There's a high possibility that Flash won't make it in time, so we have to get out of here ASAP!_

In unison each team member turned to a wall, hammering at the border with a newfound desperation. With each blow the barrier weakened, and the portal was just touching the top of the dome when it dissipated. They scattered in all directions, getting out of the range of the wormhole.

Klarion pouted. "Party poopers," he whined, wiggling his fingers. Suddenly he grinned and snapped his fingers, his black irises turning blood-red. "But that can be easily fixed." At his snap the wormhole contracted and let down a funnel of energy resembling a tornado. It began sweeping across the ground, picking up debris as it went.

Artemis gave a short curse as she was lifted up off the ground. **So not our day,** she groaned as she was dragged closer to the wormhole. **Little help, please?**

Miss Martian began levitating Artemis away, only to be swept up as well. _I'm being dragged in!_ she cried out, struggling to get herself and Artemis out of the range of the wind.

M'gann! said Superboy, grabbing onto her leg as she drifted past him. He dug his heels into the ground, leaning away from the pull of the wind. When the clone's feet began to slip, Aqualad made his way over, holding onto Superboy's other arm. Using a water bearer with his free hand, the Atlantean wrapped the water around a nearby telephone pole and pulled, painstakingly making his way towards it.

Seeing what Aqualad was trying to do, Robin struggled over to the pole, taking out his spare grapple gun. He dismantled it and withdrew the cord, trying to secure it as quickly as possible. When his fingers slipped he let out a frustrated growl. _KF! Get over here!_

The speedster complied, taking the Kevlar-reinforced rope from Robin and tying it to the pole at superspeed. He took the other end and headed towards the backtracking group. Aqualad took hold of the line, sheathing his water bearer. He began to take slow, agonizing steps, slowly but surely approaching their temporary anchor. Robin was preoccupied, resuming his activity of assailing Klarion with projectiles, ones that the Lord of Chaos dodged with ease.

The Boy Wonder had just thrown his fifth birdarang when his comm beeped again. Heart pounding, he answered it. "Please tell me you're at least two minutes away."

"_We are,"_ Batman replied. "_Status report."_

By then all six of them were near the telephone pole, bracing themselves against the pull of the vortex. "Situation's gotten worse. Klarion converted the portal to a tornado, and we're trying not to get sucked in."

"_No casualties?"_

"None so far. But hurry anyways."

"_Understood." _Batman spoke off to the side to someone in the background. "_Are Superman and Flash still unavailable?"_ Robin heard a faint negative answer. "_Then send Green Lantern."_

He would have heard more if it wasn't for the heart-dropping _snap_ that seemed to echo in his ears. Cursing quietly, Robin turned to see the rope fraying. "We've got a problem."

There was a slight burst of static, then Batman was back online. "_What happened?"_

"I secured everyone to a telephone pole," the words _with the grappling gun_ went unsaid, "but it's about to snap." He shared worried looks with the rest of his teammates. "How close are you, again?"

"_Green Lantern should be there in a few seconds."_

"Tell him to hurry," gritted Robin, hands on both ends of the break. "We're not gonna last that - " he was cut off as the pull of the wind strengthened, tugging the team further away from the pole. The rope strained, and fibers began disconnecting rapidly as the rope slipped out of his hands. With a final _crack_ the rope separated, sending the young heroes careening towards the red funnel of energy with several curses (Artemis), shrieks (Miss Martian), and yells (everyone else).

"_Robin?" _Robin could hear Batman's voice through the comm, but the wind took his breath, and he struggled to answer. "_Robin! Answer me!"_

"We're getting sucked in!" panicked Robin, trying to keep upright in the air. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a familiar green glow. "GL! Over here!"

Hal Jordan sped towards the team, ring construct extended. He had almost reached them when the vortex spun faster, whipping the teens out of the space cop's reach.

The air got thinner, and Robin could see black on the edges of his vision. As the funnel grew closer he sluggishly wondered if this was the end. His eyes fluttered shut, and the Boy Wonder succumbed to the darkness. The last thing he heard before completely losing consciousness was Batman frantically calling his name.

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-End of Chapter 1-

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**Edit: I don't own Young Justice (or DC Comics, or Robin, or etc...)**


	2. Chapter 2 - Interdimensional Crises

**Author's Note (edit):**

**Hey all! This is my first real upload, so please forgive any newbie mistakes :) I'm still figuring out the system here. I still don't understand everything, but thanks for the favs!**

**So, with no further ado, I give you chapter 2! (I also revised chp. 1 slightly)**

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Chapter 2 - Interdimensional Crises

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**?**

**? ?, ?**

Robin couldn't see anything. His surroundings were dark, and pleasantly so; it was soothing and peaceful. He felt warm and comfortable, snugly wrapped in the darkness. Was this what death was like? It wasn't exactly what he had expected, and he was fine with that - but he had wished to meet his parents somehow - he had so many stories to tell them. Stories of him and KF trolling other Leaguers, of days at the manor, and of nights on patrol... Of course, his mom would probably be appalled at the daily peril he was (had been?) in, and she would probably be mad at Batman for allowing a _child_ to -

_Batman!_ At that thought Robin stirred, worry flooding his thoughts. If he was really dead, then that meant Batman - no, Bruce - was _alone_, and that wouldn't do - he had to go back! He had to return and make sure Bruce didn't go crazy with grief and start beating up thugs into a bloody pulp; Robin was the light in the darkness that was Batman, and he had to go back! The Boy Wonder began to struggle against the darkness he was in - it was too constrictive now, and he wanted out - beating against the bonds around him.

He wrestled for a few more minutes before he was out, _free_. Robin stood (floated?) upright, and looked around. There had to be _some_ way out, right?

As if triggered by that thought, his surroundings grew lighter, the light condensing into the shape of a door. Robin drifted closer to it, pace quickening as the light intensified. Outstretching an arm, he tentatively slid his hand in. The consistency was gelatinous, like jelly, and felt slightly cool through his glove. Taking a deep breath, Robin stepped forward, pushing his way through the mass. With each step he took the glow grew brighter; soon it was so bright that he squeezed his eyes shut behind his mask and proceeded blindly. Another step forward, and the floor (air?) under his feet dropped, and his eyes jerked open. He was falling - down, down, _down_...

The darkness drew over his eyes, blurring his vision (_again_), and Robin couldn't help but wish he had just stayed in bed that morning.

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**ARKHAM ASYLUM, GOTHAM CITY  
****May 23, 23:32 PM, EDT****  
**

To be blunt, Batman was ticked.

There had been a breakout at Arkham Asylum that month, and Batman had spent entire weeks chasing after each criminal, getting stabbed (Joker), bit (Killer Croc), beaten (Bane), and vined (Poison Ivy) in the process. He had just finished stowing the Scarecrow back into his cell at Arkham (miraculously, without getting gassed), and was driving back down an alley when his comm beeped.

Growling, he answered it. "_Yes_, Clark?"

_"..."_ There was a short pause, followed by a sigh. _"Hello to you, too, Bruce. Long day?"_

"What do you want." stated Batman, not even bothering to make it sound like a question.

_"There's a... situation."_

Batman suppressed the urge to rub his eyes. "What _kind_ of situation."

There was a rustling sound over the comm, indicating that the Man of Steel was fidgeting. _"You... better come and see for yourself. I have a feeling I'll either over-exaggerate the problem or understate it."_ More rustling. _"Signal me when you're ready to be beamed up."_

"Fine," Batman grunted, temper shimmering. "Batman out." He ended the transmission, not bothering to wait for Superman's reply.

The road ahead banked sharply, headed towards a bricked-up garage. Batman accelerated towards it, barely blinking as the wall slid up just in time for the vehicle to pass under. It slid back down in place as he flew down the tunnel, taking lefts and rights with a speed born of countless hours of practice. After passing under a stone arch the car skidded to a stop, engine going from roaring to silent instantaneously.

The Dark Knight unbuckled his seat belt and disabled the door lock, rolling his aching shoulders as the roof slid back with a pneumatic _hiss_. He vaulted out of the car, cursing internally as his side twinged.

"I take that you were successful, Master Bruce?" came a familiar British voice. Alfred stepped up to the Batmobile, first aid kit and a cup of water at the ready.

Sighing tiredly, Batman accepted the glass from the butler. "Joker, Killer Croc, Bane, Poison Ivy, and Scarecrow are all back in their cells at Arkham. Hopefully they'll be there for another month at most." He handed back the now empty glass, gently shooing the grandfatherly figure away from re-wrapping his cracked ribs. "It's alright, Alfred. I'm needed at the Watchtower; I'll get treated there."

"Very well, Master Bruce." replied Alfred, stepping back as Batman signaled Superman, indicating he was ready. "Do say hello to Master Clark for me, sir."

"I will," answered Batman as he felt the familiar pins-and-needles racing up his arms at being transported onto the Watchtower. The sight of his butler blurred and faded, refocusing into the red-and-blue figure of the Man of Steel. "Took you long enough," he grumbled, walking past Superman and towards the computer. "Agent A says hello. Report."

Superman followed quickly after the Dark Knight, standing behind the chair as Batman seated himself. "It isn't any of our normal problems," Superman started, reaching over and accessing the security feed. "I called you immediately after the occurrence." He skimmed through the data, stopping at the camera feed from the common room. The video started playing at once, displaying the Flash and Superman talking animatedly while Martian Manhunter floated nearby in a meditative state.

The feed went on for several minutes without pause, greatly irritating Batman. The vigilante had just opened his mouth to demand that Superman just _tell him_ what the problem was when something on the screen caught his eye, and he paused the security feed. Narrowing his eyes, Batman tapped a command into the keyboard, focusing on that particular spot. "What is that."

"We didn't notice it at first," said Superman, slightly sheepish. "But later... well, you can see for yourself." He resumed the video, and Batman watched as the red dot (?) on the screen rapidly increased in size. It swirled with red energy, sparking in a way that was unnervingly similar to a boom tube.

By then the Leaguers had noticed, and had formed a ring around the rift, arms raised in defensive positions. They tensed as the wormhole contracted, shielding their faces as it shone blindly before spitting out six black... blobs. Afterwards the portal collapsed into itself, the bright light fading away, and the blobs grew focused, revealing the figures of six teenagers.

Forgetting himself for a moment, Batman leaned closer, eyes flickering from one prone body to the next, assessing and categorizing each figure. The youngest couldn't have been older than fourteen, with the oldest around sixteen or seventeen years of age. They were all dressed in outfits with haunting similarities to those of the League - there was a female Martian, a blond Atlantean (with long black eel tattoos snaking up his arms and water bearers sheathed on his back), a large, buff male with Superman's shield (red on a black shirt), a junior Flash (in red and yellow, Flash's bolt displayed proudly on his chest), a female Green Arrow (her long, blond hair in a ponytail), and a red-vested boy with armor that mirrored Batman's own (lithe, with a small yellow R over his heart).

The Dark Knight's hope rose at the sight of the youngest. That vest... It had been brighter, and made of fabric, not Kevlar, but he had seen it, and the R, before... Perhaps, just _maybe_ - He squashed the small hope down brutally before giving himself a mental shake.

_No false hopes_, he chided himself. _He's dead. Get that into your head!_ With that Batman turned his attention back to the video.

The Leaguers had frozen in place, obviously in shock (Batman silently grumbled at their inattention). The heroes would have stayed there for a while if it hadn't been for the blood pooling under the youngest - the red-vested boy had clipped his head on entry, and head wounds always bled the most. _So much blood..._The Flash was by his side in the blink of an eye, firmly stemming the blood flow with his hand as he gently raised the boy up. He looked up at Superman, waiting for his verdict. There seemed to be a consensus, and the speedster sped out of the camera's frame, most likely taking the boy to the infirmary. He whipped past Wonder Woman, who had a bemused expression on her face. _"Great Hera! What happened?"_

To explain, Superman gestured towards the unconscious teenagers, mumbling a reply to the Amazon that was too soft to be caught on the camera's microphone, while Martian Manhunter telepathically removed all the weapons he could see. Keeping them in the air, the Martian turned to look at Superman and Wonder Woman questionably.

This time the camera caught his words: _"What should we do with them?"_ the alien inquired, face smooth and untroubled. Superman seemed conflicted, several emotions running across his face before he shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

_"Take them to a holding cell,"_ he said, rubbing his eyes. He winced, then said, with obvious displeasure: _"I'll... tell Batman."_

Nodding, Martian Manhunter floated out, the teens drifting weightlessly behind him. Wonder Woman, sending a sympathetic glance towards Superman, followed after, their weapons in her arms. As the two walked out of frame Superman raised his fingers to his comm, wincing as he heard Batman respond. He hesitated, then said, _"Hello to you, too, Bruce. Long day?"_

At that Batman stopped the video and turned the chair around. "Have you analyzed what they fell through?"

Superman nodded. "We got Dr. Fate to scan the residue on the children's bodies. He said that it was a portal created by Klarion."

Batman's heart fell further. _So it can't be him._ Acting unaffected, he stated, "The Lord of Chaos," internally groaning. _This really isn't my week, is it?_ "Interdimensional, I presume."

"Yeah. He's teamed up with Dr. Midnite to try and create a portal to send them back."

"Good. I want them gone as soon as possible. We don't know the extent of the effects they might have on our dimension."_ I don't want him here. Not while he's wearing_ that.

Superman agreed silently. Interdimensional crises were always... damaging.

The Dark Knight stood up, his cape falling over his arms."Which cells are they in."

"Each metahuman is in a cell equipped to handle each of their abilities. J'onn wasn't sure if the muscular one had metapowers, and put him in the one to handle Kryptonians. The boy's shirt made him wary." Superman paused, a worried expression coming over his face. "Flash took the small one to the infirmary. He told me that the kid needed at least five stitches." Shaking his head, Superman ran his hand over his hair. "Who lets a kid that young into a suit?"

_["- reports of a small child fighting crime - Batman's Sidekick? - dropped crime rates - "]_

Ignoring the man's mumbling, Batman stalked out of the room, heading towards the infirmary. The Kryptonian glided after him, unconsciously hovering as he worried and muttered over the boy. They soon arrived, and entered into the infirmary; they made their way to the furthest bed from the door. The boy was sprawled across it, with a blanket over him and a bandage wrapped around his head. His boots were arranged neatly on the floor beside the bed. Martian Manhunter floated nearby, eyes aglow. At the others' arrival he turned his head, eyes back to their regular red. "Batman, Superman," he greeted, pivoting to face the two heroes.

"J'onn," replied Superman. "How is he?" He drifted back down to the floor, hesitantly straightening the covers over the boy.

"He is well," stated the Martian. "I was in the process of scanning his mind, but it is guarded vigilantly, and I could not bypass his shields."

Batman raised an eyebrow at that. "So he's trained." _He looks just like him..._

Martian Manhunter dipped his head sharply. "That is the most likely possibility." The martian elevated the medical chart set on the bedside table and sent it toward the Dark Knight. "His DNA scans show that he does not possess a meta-gene, eliminating the chance of him being telepathic."

Flipping through the chart, Batman skimmed over the information. "Did you get any DNA matches?"

"None so far. I am assuming that his counterpart is either dead or does not exist. Do you wish for me to check with the deceased?"

"No," said Batman. "That won't be necessary." He noticed the outline of the boy's belt from under the blanket. "Why didn't you remove his equipment?"

"I was not able to. I was waiting for you to come and remove it." Martian Manhunter elevated the blanket. "It seems remarkably like yours."

"I see." The Dark Knight placed his fingers on the belt, only to have the boy stir as the chill of the infirmary settled over him. Batman gestured at Martian Manhunter to lower the blanket. "We can do that later - he's coming back into consciousness. Keep quiet and let me do the talking." Stepping back slightly, he watched the boy come to and slowly sit up.

"Blurgh... Wha - what happened?" Wincing, the boy placed a hand to his head, tentatively fingering the bandage there. "There was a red funnel, and then it was... dark... Ugh. So not asterous." He turned his face and squinted at the figures around his bed. "...Batman?"

Batman took a hesitant step closer, drawing nearer to the bed. "How's your head?" _Don't show concern. He's not the same one. He's_ not.

"Other than the headache, 'm fine," answered the boy, lowering his hand in favor of rubbing his eyes through his mask. "So I take that GL got us out after we blacked out? Or was the portal harmless?" When the man didn't answer the boy looked back up. Seeing Batman's tense position, the boy tilted his head to the side, expression quizzical. "What's wrong, B? Why'm I at the Watchtower?"

_Even the_ head tilt _is exactly the same -_

_[A quizzical tilt of the head. "You're Batman? Huh. You're not as scary as they say you are."]_

The man jerked back into reality, forcefully shoving the memory back into the recesses of his mind. _Don't. He's not who you're hoping he is._ He refocused on the confused boy in front of him._ Focus. He could be dangerous. Use his familiarity. Lull him into feeling safe._

"It's nothing," he answered, hiding his body under the shapelessness of his cape. A batarang slid down into his cupped hand. _Just in case._ "Klarion transported you to the common room. You hit your head when you landed; the cut needed to be sewn. You've been unconscious until now."

"Oh," yawned the boy, scratching his head. "But why'd you treat me here instead of at home or at the Mountain?"

Batman panicked internally. _'Home', he says._ "Necessity. It would have aggravated the wound if you'd been beamed back down." He hesitated slightly before saying, "There was a lot of blood." _Too much._

"That explains the headache," the boy groaned. "How're the others?"

_He must mean the other five._ "They're still unconscious. You were the first to wake."

The boy sighed in relief. "No one's hurt, then."

Nodding, the Dark Knight hesitated again before saying, "CAT scans showed no injuries, but we still have to check. Name."

Giving him a "Really?" look, the boy asked, "Real name or mask?"

"Mask." The Batman the boy knew probably had not revealed his identity to the others._ I don't think I could bear to see his real face now, either._

"Robin."

Batman's heart skipped a beat, and his fists clenched under his cape. "Age."

"Fifteen."

_Still so young._ "Country."

"United States of America." The boy's brow furrowed. "But since we're at the Watchtower, space."

The man grinned internally despite himself. _Clever._ "Time and date."

"Not sure about the time, but I think it's still May 23."

Satisfied, Batman said, "It's close to midnight in Gotham, but other than that, you're clear."

"Great!" exclaimed the boy, pulling back his covers. "'Cause I _really_ need to go to the bathroom."

He swung his feet out of the bed and slid them into his boots. Brushing his hair out of his face, the boy said, "Be right back!" and made his way toward the Infirmary bathroom.

As soon as the door closed, Batman turned to Superman and muttered, "After he's sedated, put him in a cell, like the others."

Superman looked uneasy. "So he's a threat?"

"He knows things that a normal child wouldn't. He's been trained. Pretend he's me and act accordingly."

At that tidbit of information, Superman gulped nervously. "And how exactly do I act around you?"

The Dark Knight scowled and said, "Just keep an eye on him." Batman turned to Martian Manhunter and continued, saying, "We'll have to get his equipment off him while he's sedated. That means gloves, boots, belt, and a check along the suit to make sure there aren't any hidden pockets."

"I'll help you," said Superman.

"You'll help Martian Manhunter," Batman corrected. "I have to make sure the others don't have tricks up their sleeves, either." He frowned thoughtfully. "We'll have to keep them separated for as long as -"

"Batman," interrupted Martian Manhunter. "I am sensing a telepathic conversation between Robin and the others."

Both Batman and Superman turned to Martian Manhunter. "Can you hear what they're discussing."

"Negative. I can sense the connection, but I cannot hear their thoughts. Bonds that are present for a long time are harder to break. It seems they have done this several times."

Cursing internally, Batman made his way towards the bathroom. "If they communicate, they'll tell him that they've been captured - "

As if on cue, the bathroom door burst open, a blurred red-yellow-and-black form moving quickly towards the door.

"Superman!" yelled Batman. "Cut him off!"

The Man of Steel complied, coming between the boy and the door in a split second. "Whoa, there, kid," he said. "Slow down. We're not going to hurt you."

The boy's eye slits narrowed, and he said to no one in particular, "Red Alert; Access Code RJG24." There was no reaction, and at that the boy's expression grew darker. "Crap," Superman heard him breathe out. Before the Kryptonian could react, the boy reacted into his belt and pulled out a capsule, throwing it onto the ground and simultaneously fixing his breathing mask over his face. The capsule exploded, sending up a plume of gray, green-tinted smoke.

Realizing what was in the smoke, Batman opened his mouth to say, "Don't breathe that!" but his shout died in his throat as he watched Superman inhale the smoke to clear it. Clumsy idiot, Batman mused as he ran over to catch the Kryptonian before he fell over.

"The gas was laced with Kryptonite dust," he growled, annoyed that Superman hadn't been expecting it. "Didn't I tell you to act like he was _me_?"

"B-but.. you n-never use K-kryptoni..." Superman trailed off, slowly sucumbing into unconsciousness.

Lips set in a grim line, Batman nodded at the Martian. "Make sure he wakes up. I've got a bird to catch." With that the Dark Knight swept out of the Infirmary, hurriedly scanning for signs of the boy... of Robin.

* * *

-End of Chapter 2-

* * *

**Edit: I don't own Young Justice (or DC Comics, or Robin, or etc...)**


	3. Chapter 3 - Revelations

Mindlink  
_Italics_ = Robin  
**_Italics/Bold_** = Aqualad  
_Italics/Underline_ = Miss Martian  
Underline = Superboy  
**Underline/Bold** = Kid Flash  
**Bold** = Artemis

_"Italics/quotes"_ = Comm-link

* * *

Chapter 3 - Revelations

* * *

?

? ?, ?

The first thing Robin noticed was the headache.

It was the head-splitting kind, the kind he only got after getting his head bashed or going on a sugar high. The headache made his head pound, and he was vaguely aware of the bandage around his head. _So, bashed head, then._

He registered a bed, with a blanket placed over him. Robin blinked slowly as the ceiling came into focus, but it was unfamiliar._ Not good._ He shifted his eyes around, finally categorizing his location as being in the Watchtower Infirmary. _Did they fix the ceiling?_ Robin registered the corner he was in._ Small cot. Farthest from the door._ So why was he here? Everything was... fuzzy... There were three figures around the bed. Familiar... figures.

Robin sat up slowly, blinking rapidly behind his mask. "Blurgh... Wha - what happened?" He managed to croak out of his dry throat. Robin could bring to mind pictures, but other than the mission briefing, his mind drew a blank. "There was a red funnel, and then it was... dark... Ugh. So not asterous." Wincing at the way his head hurt, he gingerly touched the bandage around his head. Noticing movement in his peripheral vision, he turned his head and saw a well-known dark form. "...Batman?"

The man took a hesitant step forward, saying, "How's your head?"

Robin grinned internally at the subconscious worry that was coming off the man in waves. "Other than the headache, 'm fine," he replied, trying vainly to rub his eyes through his mask. "So I take GL got us out after we blacked out? Or was the portal harmless?"

At the Dark Knight's silence, Robin lifted his head, absentmindedly noting Batman's tense body language. _Was it that bad?_ He thought. Tilting his head to the side, he asked, "What's wrong, B? Why'm I at the Watchtower?"

As he watched the man stiffen, the fogginess clouding his head seemed to disperse, and suspicion crept into the edges of his mind. Something felt... _off_, but what...? First with the infirmary ceiling, then with the vibe he was getting off Batman...

His musings were cut off as Batman seemed to shake himself, saying, "It's nothing." The man allowed his cape to fall over his shoulders, blocking the rest of his body from view._ Deception_, chimed the suspicious part of his mind. _He could be hiding a batarang under his cape_. "Klarion transported you to the common room. You hit your head when you landed; the cut needed to be sewn. You've been unconscious until now."

"Oh," yawned Robin, scratching his head while the gears in his head started to whirr. "But why'd you treat me here instead of at home or at the Mountain?"

The answer worried him. "Necessity. It would have aggravated the wound if you'd been beamed back down." Batman had said _beamed_, not _Zeta-ed_. The alarm bells in his head were ringing rather loudly. "There was a lot of blood." The man - Bruce? - said it as if he wasn't used to seeing Robin bleed.

Hiding his growing unease under a groan, he said, "That explains the headache." Robin kept his breathing and heartbeat level as he remembered his Teammates. "How're the others?"

"They're still unconscious. You were the first to wake."

Robin couldn't hold in the sigh of relief that gushed out. "No one's hurt, then."

Batman nodded, then hesitated again. _Another discrepancy_, Robin analyzed. _Batman doesn't hesitate. Imposter?_

He kept running possibilities through his head as Batman told him about the CAT scan. _No injuries. Good. I'll need my wits for this_. A part of Robin desperately wanted the situation to be a joke, or maybe a simulation, but Batman's answer to his question blew away all doubts.

"Real name or mask?" Robin asked, still playing clueless by giving Batman a "Really?" look. His thoughts were working busily. _Clone? No, the costume's worn down with age. It could be just anyone in the suit, but impersonators don't carry that much confidence._

"Mask."

It wouldn't make sense for Bruce to test Robin's code name and not his birth name; the Infirmary was secure, and J'onn and Clark already knew who he was. _So someone in the suit who doesn't know everything, or mind control._

"Robin." _...He tensed. Why'd he tense?_

"Age." Batman's voice was level, but Robin could almost see the man's clenched fists.

_This isn't good._ "Fifteen."

"Country."

Robin's heart started to sink as he continued answering. "United States of America." Pretending to catch himself, he furrowed his brow and said, "But since we're at the Watchtower, space." For someone under mind control or without all the information Batman (Bruce) should have, the man was handling it well. He acted just like Batman. _Memory loss?_

"Time and date."

"Not sure about the time, but I think it's still May 23." They had been sent through a portal, hadn't they? So... sent back in time? No, that didn't make any sense. The technology seemed new, and the Leaguers seemed to be the same age as he had last saw them. Well, _Batman_ did. His surroundings seemed similar enough, and none of the Leaguer's uniforms had changed.

Robin turned his attention back to the man just as he finished saying, "...you're clear." Taking the chance, he said, "Great!" and pushed away the blanket. "'Cause I _really_ need to go to the bathroom." Swinging his feet over the side and quickly pulling on his boots, Robin stood up, shaking away the last wisps of fog muddling his head. He brushed his hair out of his face -_ I really need a haircut soon_ - and headed towards the bathroom, calling over his shoulder, "Be right back!"

As Robin entered the bathroom he secretly stuck a microphone on the doorframe, closing the door silently behind him. Quickly turning on the tap to fool Superman, the teen lifted his hand to his wrist computer and tapped into the listening device he had just planted. Connecting the device to his comm, he listened in on their conversation, dread growing in the pit of his stomach. _So it's not just Batman_, he thought despairingly. _Superman and Martian Manhunter as well. Does that mean the whole League's been compromised? Or we're not where I think we are._

He switched off the listening device and closed his eyes. _Miss Martian! Kid Flash! Aqualad! Can anyone hear me?_

It wasn't long before M'gann answered. _Robin! Are you alright? We woke up and found ourselves in separate cells -_

_I'm fine, Miss M._ Cut off Robin. _I just got a small cut, but that isn't the problem right now. I think the portal we went through messed up a few things. I'll need to check a computer to make sure, but I'll need a distraction first. How are the others?_

_They're conscious, but confused. No one has their weapons - they were gone when we woke up. I'll link you up with the others._

There was a brief silence, before Robin's mind was filled with the voices of his teammates.

**Rob! OmigoshareyoualrightIwokeupandyouweregoneand -**

_**Kid Flash, calm down. He has a concussion.**_

**You alright there, shortstop?**

_Yeah. Just with a killer headache. You?_

**Pretty much. Superboy's kinda restless, though. Apparently these people have experience with supers - he can't even scratch the glass.**

I made it rattle. That's close enough.

_My cell's immune to my telepathy._

**They've got me in some weird speedster-proof cell, too.** Thought Kid Flash. **Anyways! What's going on? Who're the guys that got us?**

_I'm still trying to figure that out,_ Robin thought grimly. _They're the League, but they're... not._

Waves of different emotions passed along the mindlink. _**What do you mean, Robin?**_

_Like I said, I'm still figuring things out. I've got a couple of theories, but I'll need evidence to back it up. Until then, it's still -_

There was a buzzing noise, similar to static, before Robin could hear the others again. _Miss M? What happened?_

_Someone...tried to listen in._ A tremor of pain came from Miss Martian._ It feels like... Uncle J'onn?_

_Don't contact him!_ Exclaimed Robin, already reactivating the listening device.

_Wha-_

Turning on his comm-link, he grit out, _Just trust me!_ and cut off the mindlink, just catching the end of Martian Manhunter's explanation: _"..present for a long time are harder to break. It seems they have done this several times."_

Before Martian Manhunter finished the sentence Robin disconnected the device, quickly powering down his computer and barreling out the door to cut off Batman as he said, "- tell him they've been captured - ". As he rushed towards the infirmary door he swiped the listening device off the doorframe, pocketing it as he went.

"Superman, cut him off!" came Batman's shout, and sure enough, the Man of Steel was there, blocking Robin's way with an apologetic look.

"Whoa there, kid," he said, and Robin's stomach twisted at the confirmation that this wasn't the same Superman he knew. Superman had stopped calling him 'kid' after his thirteenth birthday. Still, he had to make sure.

Raising his head, he said, clearly: "Red Alert; Access Code RJG24." The silence confirmed what he already knew, and he swore silently. "Crap." Swallowing his disappointment and worry, he reached into his belt.

Without hesitation, Robin pulled out the smoke bomb laced with Kryptonite dust and threw it down, his other hand grabbing his breathing mask and putting it over his mouth and nose. Using the smoke as cover, he dashed out, heart pounding. _Miss Martian?_

He immediately felt a rush of relief from the Martian. _Robin! You're okay?_

_Yeah. Sorry about that._

_Just explain yourself later._

Robin winced slightly. _So not completely forgiven._

_No._

Stifling a sigh, Robin thought, _Alright. I'll try to get to guys soon._ With that he cut off the mindlink, feet quickly but tentatively treading down the paths and hallways. _I was right - we're not where we think we are. I don't recognize anything._ At the hint of other Leaguers, he quietly made their way around them, not wanting to alert any of them to his presence. The Boy Wonder took care to stay in each camera's blind spot (that he could see), skillfully ducking around corners and crawling through vent systems.

Before long he was at the monitor room of the Watchtower, and he peered in the ventilation grate just to make sure no one was there. Satisfied at the empty room, he entered and closed the door, locking it in place with his wrist computer.

Walking towards the mainframe computer, the Boy Wonder cracked his knuckles and grinned in spite of his worry. Hacking always took his mind off things. _Now for some information..._ With that he dove into hacking, fingers flying across both his holographic keyboard and the one in front of him. He leapfrogged over security firewalls and tripwires, ecstatic expression fading as he scanned the information on the screen. He and the Team were nowhere on the servers - neither separately nor in a Team.

With a frown he checked the current news reports - there was no mention of the visit he, Kid Flash, Speedy - er, sorry, _Red Arrow_ - , and Aqualad had made to the Hall of Justice on that memorable Fourth of July. In fact, there were no mentions of them at all - not even the slightest mention of protegees, or even sidekicks.

Something was very wrong.

Robin immediately crossed off 'time travel', 'memory loss', and 'mind control' from his list of theories. The time and date were identical, along with city appearances and technological advances. If the whole League was suffering from memory loss, there still should have been mentions of the Team in news articles - if not together, then separately. The same went for mind control. So that meant...

A chill ran down Robin's spine as he realized exactly where he was. _A different dimension..._ he thought. _No. Please, _anything_ but that._

Hoping he was wrong, he quickly searched up _The Flying Graysons_. His hands froze as he read the article on the death of Mary and John Grayson. Just the two of them. _So... I'm alive?_ Another search revealed an obituary on one Richard Grayson, aged eleven. _...bullet to the chest..._

Pushing down the feeling of horror and helplessness, Robin proceeded to search for the others, focusing on Wally and Artemis' civilian IDs. He found Wally soon enough (_still alive_) but Artemis' file was encrypted. Hacking it revealed that she was still with Sportsmaster. _Not good._

He had to see where Kaldur, M'gann, and Conner were, but the lack of files on them made his heart sink lower. The Boy Wonder had to physically shake his head - wincing slightly as his head wound twinged - to bring himself back to the matter at hand.

_Now's not the time_, Robin thought grimly. _I have to get to the others._

Fingers flying back over the keyboard, he accessed the camera feeds and followed his teammates' progress through the hallways, stopping the feed when their cell doors (thick glass) closed.

_Third floor_, Robin noted. _Prison area? Only one cell equipped to handle Kryptonians..._

Decision made, Robin closed down the searches he'd started, erasing his browsing history and scrambling the camera feed for the monitor room to prevent Batman from seeing what he'd searched for. He also erased the camera feed in all the hallways he had been in, just in case. Robin wasn't yet sure if he could trust this world's Batman.

The Boy Wonder was about to disconnect from the mainframe when a file caught his eye. It was marked with Batman's data signature, a file on the current and past Justice League members.

That could be useful. Robin moved the files to his wrist computer, only to be stopped by a security passcode. It was one of Batman's - trying to decrypt it, he ran through variations of the names of his mentor's former lovers, even trying Alfred's name, to no avail.

Time was running out, and Robin was about to give up when an idea popped into his head. Hesitantly, he ran through variations of his name (civilian and otherwise). Batman had tensed noticeably when Robin had given him his name; that meant the Dark Knight had heard it once before, and maybe met him -

His train of thought was cut off as the computer confirmed the file copy. Glancing up, he read the passcode that had passed - _robin_djgrayson_.

The enormity of that single password ate at Robin, but he didn't have the time. Already he could hear the murmurs outside the locked door, and it wouldn't be long before Batman found him.

Shutting down the mainframe, the acrobat made his way back up to the vent in the wall, closing the grate behind him. He'd unlock the monitor room door once he was further away.

_Wait for me, guys. I'll be there as soon as I can._

* * *

-End of Chapter 3-

* * *

**Edit: I don't own Young Justice (or DC Comics, or Robin, or etc...)  
Re-edit (3/Sept/2013): I changed the alternate dimension Robin's age from nine to eleven - it'll make more sense later. And yes, I am still writing! :)  
**


End file.
